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1998 INTERPLAY U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP PARTICIPANTS

(The participants were divided into two groups of 8 players each. Each group will play a 7 round round-robin in the Preliminaries, with the top two finishers from each group advancing to the Semi-Finals. SHOWN IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER WITHIN THEIR GROUP.)

GROUP A

GM LARRY CHRISTIANSEN, 42, is a California native who, after spending time in Germany, is now based in Cambridge, Mass. Larry is a past U.S. Championship winner (1980, tied with GM Walter Browne and GM Larry Evans; 1983, tied with GM Walter Browne and GM Roman Dzindzichashvili). He reached the finals of the U.S. Championship again in 1997, but lost to GM Joel Benjamin. Larry most recently served as captain for the 1998 U.S. Olympiad team.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde:

Style: Christiansen is a very dangerous opponent for a number of reasons. An enormous natural talent, Christiansen is perhaps the most skillful attacking player in America. At the same time, Christiansen has an encroaching style, and confidently tries to usurp the initiative and outplay the opposition from even neutral or bland positions. One of the most difficult tasks in chess is to select from many complicated alternatives in unbalanced positions, and Christiansen seems to move through these positions smoothly, and has an eminently practical approach to the game as well. In the 1997 Championship, Christiansen staged a remarkable comeback against Yasser Seirawan after falling behind in the Semi-Finals; Christiansen is a steady performer who rebounds with great determination after losses.

Openings: Surprisingly, the openings may be considered a relative weak point in Christiansen's armor. Although he has a fantastically wide repertoire, and despite his huge experience playing against the best in the world, he has not specialized in any set group of openings to the degree that many of his colleagues have. While this makes Christiansen very hard to prepare for, it also places on him the burden of avoiding any lines on which the opponent might be super-specialized. Christiansen generally prefers 1 d4 and is comfortable battling both the Nimzo- and Queen's Indian, and can play multiple systems against the King's Indian. After a loss, Christiansen will often resort to 1 e4, employing main line attacking systems. As Black against 1 e4, Christiansen can play just about anything, but seems to rely on the Taimanov or related Sicilians, the Caro-Kann, and Double King-Pawn. Against 1 d4, Christiansen will most frequently use the Nimzo / Queen's Indian, the King's Indian, the Slav or the Queen's Gambit Accepted or Declined.

GM NICK DE FIRMIAN, 41, has relocated to Denmark but maintains his ties to New York City. Nick is a two-time U.S. Champion (1987, tied with GM Joel Benjamin; 1995, tied with GM Patrick Wolff and GM Alexander Ivanov). He has represented the United States at several Interzonals (formerly a qualifying stage for the World Championship). Nick has also competed in the FIDE Olympiad, including the 1996 event in Yerevan, Armenia and the 1998 event in Elista, Kalmykia.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde:

Style: deFirmian is a classical attacking player, employing a Fischer-like search for combined activity and soundness. deFirmian is one player that you do not want to hand the initiative over to, as he is relentless in pursuing small advantages in the endgame as well as earlier stages. Often, theoretical battles are carried deep into the middlegame where deFirmian can press thematic ideas such as a central pull for White in a Ruy Lopez, attacks on opposite wings on either side of the Sicilian, or counterplay against the center as Black in a Benoni. Within his selected openings, deFirmian's theoretical knowledge branches out extensively, so it is very difficult to get the best of him in any opening discussion. Moreover, deFirmian is currently updating his own 13th edition of the tome Modern Chess Openings.

Openings: deFirmian plays 1 e4; a brief stint with 1 d4 proved too boring for him. "Main lines" are his forte, such as a strong belief in the Ruy Lopez, a mastery of attacking systems in the open Sicilian, and classical play against the other semi-open defenses. As Black, deFirmian is a great exponent of the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian, following in the footsteps of Fischer and Walter Browne. As Black against d4, deFirmian generally essays a well-worked-out combination of the Nimzo-Indian, the Queen's Indian and the Benoni. deFirmian is also a well-known specialist in the Hedgehog against the English Opening.

GM ROMAN DZINDZICHASHVILI, 54, resides in East Boston, Mass. Roman was born in Soviet Georgia, and played in two USSR Championships before emigrating to Israel in 1976. He came to the U.S. in 1980, and has won the U.S. title twice (1983, tied with GM Walter Browne and GM Larry Christiansen; 1989, tied with GM Yasser Seirawan and IM Stuart Rachels). Roman is a frequent chess commentator on the World Wide Web.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde:

Style: Dzindzihashvili's chess style is as colorful as his personality, although recently his tournament tactics appear to be to play it close to the vest, which may pay off in the short 7-round prelims sections. Dzindzi's understanding of "positional chess" is as good as anybody's; his understanding of the requirements of the position are superb, and if he saddles you with a bad pawn structure or some other fundamental problem, the game is about as good as over. Dzindzi has a sharp style also, and welcomes fierce complications if necessary. Dzindzi has pioneered analysis in many opening systems which have unbalancing characteristics. In Dzindzi's "Roman Forum" video series, many of his original ideas are captured in such lines as 1 d4 g6 2 c4 Bg7 3 Nc3 c5 4 d5 Bxc3+ 5 bxc3 f5!, the Dzindzi-Indian 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 a6, and Anti-Sicilian lines which are offshoots of the Grand Prix Attack. Dzindzi is the only top player identified with an internet chess server, and has many loyal fans hoping for him to rise back to the top of American chess.

Openings: Dzindzichashvili is at his strongest in openings which are sharp but essentially positional such as the King's Indian Defense, the Nimzo-Indian and the Queen's Indian. Look for Dzindzi to essay an occasional Queen's Gambit Accepted just to nullify problems against the strongest opposition. As Black against e4, one of his favorites is the Accelerated Dragon, and he may play other Sicilians but will probably try to avoid the most recent theoretical developments. Dzindzi may also use the Caro-Kann. As White, Dzindzi will most likely play 1 d4 or Reti/English systems where he can most effectively deploy his profound understanding of various types of positions.

GM DMITRY GUREVICH, 42, lives in Chicago, Ill. Dmitry left his native Russia in 1980 to live in the United States, where he earned his Grandmaster title three years later (1983). He has finished in first place at the National Open on multiple occasions (1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1997), and has been a steady performer at most major U.S. Swisses, including the U.S. Masters Championship (1996, 1997).

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde:
Gurevich prefers sharp and interesting positions, and among the top GMs, probably goes furthest along the scale of considering chess an art. Gurevich is also a fierce competitor, and often places his hands over his ears as if to focus total attention on the chessboard. Gurevich's preference for originality leads him to both offer and accept sacrifices, or to be on either side of the space vs. time equation. In the position after 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 g6 4 Nc3 Bg7 5 e4 d6 6 Bd3 e6 7 h3 O-O 8 Nf3 exd5 9 exd5 Re8+, while most players are satisfied with 10 Be3 (10 ... Bh6 11 O-O), Gurevich prefers the more unbalancing 10 Kf1, figuring White's space advantage will make up for the uncastled king. Gurevich is a very talented tactical counter-puncher, and his great experience in unclear situations has made him an imaginative and dangerous endgame player. Gurevich is definitely one of the most modest GMs (regarding his chess ability), but few of his colleagues see it that way.

Openings: Gurevich plays 1 d4 as White and likes to pursue distinctive lines, such as Korchnoi's revival of Nf3-e1 in the Classical King's Indian (which he studied with the great master). Gurevich has no problem battling the Nimzo-Indian Defense; many other American GMs have become very wary of the Huebner line of the Nimzo. As Black against 1 d4, Gurevich has for many years essayed the Modern Benoni, and has been discussing lines of the Benoni in the U.S. Championship for eons. As Black against 1 e4, Gurevich usually sticks with the Classical Sicilian, allowing White to enter the Richter-Rauzer or the Velimirovic.

IM IGOR IVANOV, 51, resides in Payson, Ariz. Igor is perhaps best-known for his crushing margins of victory in the annual Novag Grand Prix series (he’s won the thing an amazing nine times!). He qualified for this year's Championship as the 1997 Novag Grand Prix winner. He is also a trainer for The Shelby School, one of the country’s top scholastic chess programs.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde

Style: Ivanov is familiar to many Americans as the many-time winner of the Grand Prix; Ivanov has been machine-like in mowing down opposition in Swiss-System tournaments over the years. This is because Ivanov has way too much talent for the average master to deal with - Ivanov moves quickly, has a great positional feel, and is a killer tactician. Ivanov places his faith in positions which have long-term positional potential. An example is the White side of the line 1 c4 e5 2 Nc3 Bb4 3 Nd5 Ba5 4 b4 c6 5 bxa5 cxd5 6 cxd5, because White has more pawns in the center. Ivanov has a clear vision when positions with long-dormant features erupt into tactical confrontations; small sacrifices for positional advantages come to Ivanov easily, and he will play them without undue concern for the current material situation. This can often lead to fantastic positions where Ivanov is concocting combinations without stressing recovery of the material. Ivanov has not shown great interest in the latest chess theory, and relies on his experience and talent to get him decent positions to work with

Openings: As White, Ivanov has a marked penchant for the English and some faith in the Reti. Otherwise, Ivanov places his stock in 1 d4. As Black against 1 e4, Ivanov has often relied on the Classical Sicilian, and can play Double-King-Pawn as if he has just studied all the variations. Ivanov plays many varying defenses against 1 d4, having greater familiarity with these as a 1 d4 player himself.

GM SERGEY KUDRIN, 38, hails from Chestnut Hills, Mass. Sergey has collected many first-place finishes in U.S. Swisses, including the National Open (1982, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993), New York Open (1983, 1985), and North American Open (1995, 1996). He has played in several U.S. Championship tournaments.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde

Style: Kudrin is very skilled as an attacking player as White, and very well prepared with his defensive lines as Black. Players who believe that Kudrin may be coming to the table with superior theoretical knowledge usually select obscure or dry and stodgy lines to minimize Kudrin's strengths. Kudrin has a crisp, no-nonsense tactical style and seems to prefer semi-open positions, where his excellent calculating ability comes forcefully into play, rather than closed positions. Kudrin is methodical in the development of his chess repertoire, and likes to work out all the wrinkles in his systems. Kudrin has an objective and somewhat dispassionate approach to the game, and for this reason, he very rarely makes serious blunders. Translation: if you want to defeat Kudrin, you are going to have to earn it.

Openings: Kudrin plays 1 e4 as White, and for a long time, he was enamored of the g2-g3 systems in the open Sicilian, and also was a Sozin specialist. Now he has mastered the principal attacking lines in the Sicilian, and can choose among them. Kudrin is a long-time devotee of the Tarrasch French, and in the Double-King-Pawn arena, he may choose the Giuoco Piano. As Black against 1 e4, Kudrin has for many years been one of the leading experts in the Dragon Sicilian; now he has added the Taimanov Sicilian as a mainstay. One of the big improvements Kudrin has made is his substitution of the Grunfeld Defense as his choice against 1 d4, discarding the Nimzo-, Queen's Indian setup. As the English Opening avoids the Grunfeld (as it does the Queen's Indian), Kudrin has kept the Hedgehog as a basic part of his repertoire.

GM YASSER SEIRAWAN, 38, makes his home in Seattle, Wash., with his wife, Yvette. Yasser is a former U.S. Champion (1981, tied with GM Walter Browne; 1986, clear first; 1989, tied with GM Roman Dzindzichashvili and IM Stuart Rachel). He has been a candidate for the World Championship on several occasions. Yasser is the founder of International Chess Enterprises, publisher of Inside Chess magazine. He is a successful chess author, and served as commentator at last year’s Kasparov-Deep Blue return match. Yasser achieved the best U.S. result in last year’s World Championship tournament, defeating Super GM Vassily Ivanchuk before being eliminated in Round Three.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde:

Style: Seirawan's highly distinctive chess style is marked by a great fondness for long-range planning. Seirawan likes to reduce a position to its elements and then execute inexorably a plan of action against which the opponent may have no recourse. If the dominating theme in the position is a minority attack, a thematic central breakthrough, control of an open file, or a shift from queenside pressure to a kingside attack, Seirawan will conduct the exercise magnificently. For these reasons, Seirawan tends to prefer closed or semi-closed positions which allow for strategic planning of this type. Seirawan is also an excellent tactical defender, and his crisp ideas often highlight the weaknesses which can result if one tries to attack him. Seirawan's tremendous experience in top European events and as America's top board at international events has turned him into an excellent big-game competitor; he has battled successfully in marathon encounters with Kasparov, Karpov et. al. Seirawan also has an unusually fine understanding of the theory and practice of endgames, so the arsenal which he brings to the table is complete.

Openings: Seirawan is a confirmed 1 d4 player, and as White often uses systems designed to grab the maximum amount of space, such as the Saemisch against the King's Indian. As Black against 1 d4, the Queen's Gambit Accepted has been a staple, where he has developed many ideas about quick neutralization of White's edge. Seirawan also has an impressive background in solid tournament defenses such as the Nimzo- and Queen's Indian. As Black against 1 e4, Seirawan has always been a devotee of the Solid Caro-Kann, and for big games, such as his game against Shabalov in the 1997 Championship, he will call on the trusty old French Defense. Seirawan also likes to play Petroff's Defense, and can essay other Semi-Open Defenses.

GM ALEXANDER SHABALOV, 30, resides in Pittsburgh, Pa. Alexander is a past U.S. Championship winner (1993, tied with GM Alex Yermolinsky). Originally from Latvia, GM Shabalov played on the Latvian team at the FIDE Olympiad before moving to the United States. He often has the highest USCF rating among active U.S. players.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde:

Style: For a top Grandmaster, Shabalov has one of the most fiercely tactical styles around. When GM Shabalov first emigrated to the U.S. from Latvia, after several appearances in tournaments such as the World Open, he seemed like a solid young GM with a thorough knowledge of the Slav Defense. Since then, he has been a ubiquitous Swiss-System warrior, never afraid to tangle with other GMs or to get involved in wild positions against lesser opposition. This has enabled Shabalov to consistently emerge from the pack in large, strong Swisses.

At the 1998 Olympiad in Elista, Shabalov led the American team with extremely aggressive play; a notable example of this was his penultimate round game against Romanian GM Istratescu, where he hammered away at the opponent's uncastled king, not concerned that his own king would wander. Shabalov plays experimentally as well as tactically - - in a game Shabalov - Wolff from a Boston tourney several years ago, play started 1 e4 e5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Bc4 Bb4 4 f4!? Nxe4! 5 Qh5! O-O 6 fxe5 d5 7 Nxd5 Nc6 8 Nf3 Be6 9 Ne3 g6 10 Qh5 Nxe5! 11 Nxe5 Bxd2+ 12 Ke2 with a crazy position which later ended in a draw.

Openings: Shabalov generally prefers to play 1 e4 (although he will on occasion play 1 d4) and is very comfortable and dangerous in the open Sicilian as White, thanks to his easy command of tactical chess theory. Against the French, Shabalov will allow the Winawer, and in double-king-pawn situations, Shabalov has concentrated on the Scotch lately. As Black, his play is less easy to categorize, although the Slav Defense is a mainstay, although he also turns to the King's Indian and the Dutch Defenses. Against 1 e4, Shabalov, with his natural talent, fields a smattering a semi-open defenses, including many different variations of the Sicilian, as well as the French and Alekhine's Defense.

IM LEONID SOKOLIN, 31, lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. Leonid moved to the United States in 1993, after posting strong results in his native St. Petersburg’s annual chess championship (1992, 2nd place; 1993, 3rd place). Leonid holds two GM norms. He has qualified for previous U.S. Championship tournaments, but this is his first official appearance in the event.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde:

Style: Style: Sokolin is working with the advantage that many of the Championship players do not know him. A Leningrad native (who likes to play the Leningrad Variation of the Dutch), Sokolin has been living and working in New York City for several years, and has not had much time for tournaments. Sokolin performed excellently in a series of Scheveningen-style tournaments organized by the Marshall Chess Club during 1994 and 1995, and since then he has held his rating. The 1998 US Championship being too tempting, he is breaking out of his self-imposed semi-retirement. Sokolin is an enterprising and fearless player who seems to excel in positionally complex openings and middlegames. At the same time, Sokolin can play solidly, and, in pursuing first his IM norms and title and then obtaining two GM norms in American tournaments, Sokolin has shown great determination and steady planning.

Openings: Sokolin prefers 1 d4 as White and likes to play against the Nimzo. Sokolin may play the Catalan, and against dark-square Indian Defenses such as the King's Indian and Benoni, Sokolin is happy to play with a space advantage and engage in tactical combat as Black tries to break free. As Black against 1 d4 Sokolin has played the Nimzo-Indian, the Benko Gambit and the Dutch Defense. As Black against 1 e4 Sokolin uses a repertoire more known for solidity, including Petroff's Defense and the Caro-Kann.

(The participants were divided into two groups of 8 players each. Each group will play a 7 round round-robin in the Preliminaries, with the top two finishers from each group advancing to the Semi-Finals. SHOWN IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER WITHIN THEIR GROUP.)

GROUP B

GM JOEL BENJAMIN, 34, lives in New York City. Joel is the defending U.S. Champion. He is also a previous U.S. Championship winner (1987, tied with GM Nick de Firmian). As a junior player, Joel completed a rare triple crown: winning the National Elementary (1976), National Junior High (1978), and National High School (1980, 1981) championship titles. Joel was a key factor in the success of the bronze-medal winning U.S. team at the 1996 FIDE World Olympiad. He is the former editor of Chess Chow and a past columnist for Chess Life. Joel also worked as a consultant for IBM at last year’s Kasparov-Deep Blue match.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde: The Defending U.S. Champion, Benjamin is cool and unruffled both at the board and in his games. Benjamin enjoys playing many different types of positions, and is confident that he will find the logical approach to guide him in any situation. Benjamin has a good instinctive feel for the game and usually moves quickly, but will sometimes settle down to an unexpected long think, following Kasparov's theory that a key element is to recognize when the critical moments arise. Benjamin is a very good blitz player, and if a difficult position forces him into time pressure, a common scenario is the following: the opponent is thrashing about, trying to deliver the knockout, while Benjamin calmly shores up his defenses, liquidates some attackers, snaps off some material, runs away with his king, and when time control is reached, Benjamin is up a couple of pieces ... Benjamin's excellent command of chess theory and skilled play in the openings and early middlegames often lead him to good positions. In such situations, a curse of strong players is the ability to see all the defenses which the opposition has, and therefore the need to pursue the initiative more cautiously than some others might. Benjamin mixes his openings quite well and has a very good awareness of the critical points in many openings, as well as the repertoires of his opponents. Benjamin's play in the 1997 Championship, particularly his performance in the Semis and Finals, show how well-rounded his play is in the openings and middlegames. A very strong attacking player now, Benjamin's play as a junior was "mature" for his age; soundness has always been his primary criterion.

Openings: Benjamin tends to prefer 1 e4 as White, although also plays 1 d4 and has had extensive periods favoring 1 d4. Very flexible and tries to avoid opponent's specialties, Benjamin is quite happy to play Anti-Indian or Anti-Sicilian systems, or to engage in main line theoretical disputes. As Black against 1 e4, seems to prefer the Taimanov Sicilian, often plays the Classical Sicilian, and sprinkles other openings in such as the Pirc and the French; has played just about all the openings at some time. As Black against 1 d4, standard defense is the Nimzo-Queen's Indian complex, partial to the Queen's Gambit Accepted, will sometimes play the King's Indian or other defenses.

GM WALTER BROWNE, 49, hails from Berkeley, Calif. Walter is a six-time U.S. Champion (1974-75-77; 1980, tied with GM Larry Evans and GM Larry Christiansen; 1981, tied with GM Yasser Seirawan; 1983, tied with GM Larry Christiansen and GM Roman Dzindzichashvili), a 10-time winner at the National Open, and a constant threat to win any major U.S. Swiss tournament he enters. Walter is the founder of the World Blitz Chess Association (WBCA).

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde:

Style: Browne, the combative and entertaining six-time U.S. Champion, channels his surplus nervous energy into chess very well. A paradox of Browne's chess style is that he often gets into terrible time trouble (though he has worked hard to limit this), and yet he is an excellent blitz player, so enthralled with it that he started the World Blitz Chess Association. But there is a simple explanation: Browne is a perfectionist, and if he has the time he will insist on finding the best continuation; in blitz, he pushes himself into selecting the most accurate moves or the moves with the highest likelihood of being best. Browne emulated Bobby Fischer's style to some degree, and plays classical chess with no fear at all of complications, but for Fischer's disciples, subjective objectivity is king, and Browne's style is universal. Some years back, Browne became frustrated with the deluge of players who quickly make fairly good moves, while he was really working; time trouble would ruin many of his best games. Recently, Browne has become more practical, with results to prove it.

Openings: Browne is among the most predictable Grandmasters regarding his choice of openings. As Black against 1 e4, he is dedicated to the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian. As White he plays 1 d4 and heads into a Queen's Indian if possible. Browne has had longstanding theoretical discussions with many of the other leading players in certain variations. As Black against 1 d4, Browne plays the Nimzo-, Queen's Indian complex, accompanied by the Hedgehog against the English.

GM JOHN FEDOROWICZ, 40, lives in New York City. John has won numerous U.S. titles including the U.S. Junior Championship (1977, tied with IM Ken Regan), U.S. Open (1980, tied with GM Florin Gheorghiu) and National Open (1992, tied with four players). He has won the World Open four times (1977, 1979, 1982, 1989). John would love to add the U.S. Championship title to his chess resume, which includes a stint as official second to GM Gata Kamsky during the 1996 FIDE World Championship.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde

Style: Fedorowicz combines solidity and aggressiveness in an excellent mix which assures that he will always be in contention. Fedorowicz uses his great intuitive understanding of chess, backed up by an excellent memory, to master dynamic systems and get good positions, or, if on defense, positions which can provide decent counterplay without taking undue risks. Fedorowicz generally moves quite quickly, avoiding the hazards of time pressure while putting extra pressure on the opponent. Fedorowicz has a highly developed sense of danger, and thus is able to avoid most trouble before it starts. All of this adds up to making Fedorowicz a very difficult player to defeat and indeed, as a perennial U.S. Championship participant, he has often finished just behind the leaders. A tough endgame player, Fedorowicz frequently ends up in protracted struggles against other top GMs in cases where nobody is able to land a haymaker.

Openings: As Black against 1 e4, Fedorowicz plays just about all the major variations of the Sicilian. His flexibility within the Sicilian is key in steering clear of theoretical preparation by the opponent. As Black against 1 d4, Fedorowicz is a confirmed Indian Defense player, generally preferring the varieties which emphasize the dark squares, such as the King's Indian, the Benoni and Benko Gambit, but he will also play light-square-controlling openings such as the Nimzo- and Queen's Indian. Fedorowicz is ambidextrous as White; with 1 e4 he prefers main lines such as the Ruy Lopez, and the open Sicilian, and with 1 d4 he is comfortable against both the Nimzo- and Queen's Indian and very familiar with the King's Indian, but less of a theoretician in the Double-Queen-Pawn defenses.

GM BORIS GULKO, 51, makes his home in Fairlawn, N.J., with his wife, Anna. Born in Germany, Boris spent most of his life in the USSR, where he won the USSR Championship in 1977 (tied with GM Dorfman). GM Gulko and his wife attempted to emigrate in the late 1970’s, and endured persecution as "refuseniks" from 1979 to 1986 (when they were finally allowed to leave Russia). Boris is the only person who can claim the titles of both USSR Champion and U.S. Champion (he won the U.S. title in 1994). He recently won the U.S. Masters Championship (1998) and tied for first at the U.S. Open (1998) with GM Judit Polgar.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde: Gulko commands tremendous respect from his colleagues, both chessically and in terms of his accomplishments. A superb tactician masked in an outwardly positional approach to the game, Gulko is hard to play against and you just have to take your chances. At the 1998 Olympiad, Gulko introduced the amazing sacrifice 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 a3 c5 5 d5 Ba6 6 Nc3!! against Nisipeanu and won smoothly. Most symbolic of Gulko's play is his treatment as Black of the French Defense, where tactical possibilities seethe just below the surface in the battle over the pawn chain. Another example is Gulko's handling of the White side of Hedgehog positions - sure, Black can break out of the Hedgehog with a typical pawn sacrifice, but do you really want to battle Gulko a pawn down on an open board? Gulko is also a quick player, and he gets to the heart of the matter, rapidly filtering out the best variations from the inefficient or irrelevant ones, simplifying the task of emerging from tactical skirmishes. At the board, Gulko is impassive, and a resourceful defender; even when a player does get the upper hand against him, it is a full-time job to try to leave the board with a full point.

Openings: Gulko is fond of the English and the Reti, and also 1 d4. Gulko likes to experiment in the openings; once against the Slav he played 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Bf4, sacrificing the c-pawn. Against the King's Indian, Gulko likes the Saemisch and similar expansive treatments. Against 1 d4, Gulko prefers rich defenses like the Gruenfeld, the Slav and the Queen's Indian. Against 1 e4, Gulko's repertoire includes the French, certain variations of the Sicilian, and Double-King-Pawn, including the Classical Defense to the Ruy (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Nf6 4 O-O Bc5).

GM GREGORY KAIDANOV, 38, has lived in Lexington, Ky., since 1991, when he arrived from the USSR. Gregory soon became a terror on the U.S. Swiss circuit, winning the World Open (1992), National Open (1992), U.S. Open (1992), and Novag Grand Prix (1992). Gregory was a member of the bronze-medal winning U.S. team at the 1996 FIDE World Olympiad in Armenia, and he also qualified for this year’s team in Elista.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde:

Style: Kaidanov has firmly entrenched himself as one of America's top Grandmasters, and he may be America's hardest-working GM. Kaidanov has a studious approach to the game, and creates the impression not only that he knows his repertoire openings thoroughly, but also that he has devised effective ways of improving his play in the middlegame and endgame as well. Kaidanov is a fighting player who likes to take measured risks, such as playing sharp variations as Black where he will accept a sacrifice and then try to neutralize the attack. Kaidanov is a creative and optimistic player who will search for all the different possibilities in a position, and applies the same exactness regardless of whether he is on attack or defense. Kaidanov is also one of America's premier chess teachers, and is a top choice for serious chess students.

Openings: As Black against d4, Kaidanov specializes mainly in sharp variations of the Slav Defense, the Queen's Gambit Accepted or Declined, and anti-Catalan variations. As Black against e4, Kaidanov uses an electic mix of Double-King-Pawn, the Caro, Alekhine's Defense and a sprinkling of other defenses. Kaidanov is ambidextrous as White, opening with either 1 e4 in anticipation of sharp lay in the open Sicilian, or 1 d4 with a fairly straightforward min line repertoire, spiced up by a specialty in the Catalan.

GM TAL SHAKED, 20, lives in Tucson, Ariz. Tal is the reigning FIDE World Junior Champion, having won the title at last summer’s event in Poland. This is his second appearance in the U.S. Championship, having qualified both times as the US Junior Champion.

Style Analysis by GM Michael Rohde

Style: Shaked, the World Junior Champion, is a super-hard worker who has made the most of his opportunities and has established himself as the premier player of his generation. Always extremely talented, Shaked grew up in Tucson where there were not so many chances to play against strong players. When Shaked was awarded the Samford Fellowship a few years back, he used it to travel extensively, playing about 70 FIDE-rated games per six-month rating list, and arranging to take lessons from such luminaries as Dvoretsky and Yusupov. Shaked is polite and modest, and also a very accomplished student; Shaked will attend the University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus - UMBC has instituted a scholarship program for strong chess players. Shaked has a well-rounded chess style marked by youthful exuberance and grounded in an industrious study of contemporary opening theory. Shaked's style is incisive in the best tradition of strong young players, and where an opponent deviates from theory, Shaked will seek to logically exploit the move if it is a mistake or otherwise react appropriately. Having played well in the 1997 Championship, Shaked is treated as one more tough opponent by all of the players. But recognizing that his Championship opponents have tons more experience than him, Shaked will likely seek safety in active openings, try to use theory to his advantage, and use attack as the best defense.

Openings: Shaked has switched from 1 e4 to 1 d4, in time for his victory last year at the World Junior. As Black against 1 d4, Shaked is very well booked up on the King's Indian, which is perfect for his style. As Black against 1 e4, Shaked has always liked the French Defense, and will also try variations of the Sicilian.

GM ALEX YERMOLINSKY, 40, makes his home in Euclid, Ohio, with his wife, WIM Camille Baginskaite. Alex is a former U.S. Champion (1993, tied with GM Alexander Shabalov; 1996, clear first). He is one of the most active U.S. Grandmasters, and plays in dozens of U.S. tournaments each year. Alex was a member of the bronze-medal-winning U.S. team at the 1996 FIDE World Olympiad. He also qualified for the 1998 Olympiad in Elista.